Rural race for US presidency

PM - Tuesday, 23 September , 2008 18:34:00

Reporter: Kim Landers

MARK COLVIN: In the United States a series of polls in the last few days indicate that the so-called "Palin bounce" which put John McCain ahead after the Republican convention has largely evaporated.

Barack Obama is back where he's been for most of the campaign, slightly ahead as preferred President.

But the Democrat doesn't have a commanding lead, and swing states, and swinging sections of the electorate, may well be crucial on election day.

One new opinion poll shows the Republican nominee leading among rural voters in 13 pivotal states.

The poll by the non profit Centre for Rural Strategies included voters in the state of Ohio, a key battleground in recent elections.

It shows John McCain leading Barack Obama by 10 points but it also shows that the rural race is more competitive than four years ago, when George W. Bush had a much bigger lead over John Kerry.

Our North America correspondent Kim Landers has been travelling through rural Ohio and she filed this report from the town of Chillicothe.

KIM LANDERS: There's a handmade sign saying "Welcome to Hopeland" on the door of the Democratic Party's offices in the town of Chillicothe, in Southern Ohio.

(Sound of buttons on phone being pressed)

Inside half a dozen volunteers are working the phones.

NICK MEANS: Hi, this is Nick Means from the Barack Obama campaign for change here in Chillicothe how are you today?

That's good.

Do you know what candidate you're voting for in this year's election?

…Barack Obama that's good to hear.

And what is the most important issue in this year's election for you sir?

…The economy, that's the way it is, yeah I know, definitely.

Well I appreciate, like the vote and thank you for your time now.

KIM LANDERS: Tonight they're targeting voters who are registered independents; a group which almost outnumbers Republicans and Democrats combined in this town.

It's an added bonus when there's a defection from the Republican camp.

NICK MEANS: Okay registered Republicans and voting for Obama, so we're glad to have you on our side, so you have a good day. Thanks again. Bye.

KIM LANDERS: So that guy says he's a registered Republican?

NICK MEANS: Yes, he said he was a registered Republican but we needed someone who knew the economy better than McCain.

KIM LANDERS: So that's one out of the McCain camp and one into the Obama camp.

NICK MEANS: Exactly and that's what we like to hear, here.

KIM LANDERS: Do you have many of those?

NICK MEANS: A few of them yes. You know a lot of people are still undecided and whatever just kind of maybe leaning towards Obama or towards McCain but… every vote counts.

KIM LANDERS: Ohio is a sprawling state that blends urban centres such as Columbus and Cleveland with smaller towns and farm country.

It was the linchpin for George W. Bush's re-election in 2004.

It's why volunteers at Obama headquarters in Chillicothe are manning the phones four hours a night, five days a week.

FEMALE VOLUNTEER: Alrighty… do you have any idea which presidential candidate you're leaning towards this fall?

…Obama?

FEMALE VOLUNTEER: Would you say strongly?

Okay that's great to hear, great to hear.

KIM LANDERS: The last Democrat to win the Presidency without winning Ohio was John F. Kennedy in 1960.

During the long and bitter Democratic Primary, Ohio was Hillary Clinton country.

The chairman of the Party here in Ross County is Steve Madru.

He was a staunch Clinton supporter and he says it's only now that Barack Obama is faring a little better with Democratic voters.

STEVE MADRU: You know at first it kind of scared me a little bit because after the Primary of course we had 72 per cent of the people that voted for Hillary and so it took some time for people to realise that Hillary wasn't going to be the Presidential nominee. It has taken some of those people a lot of time just to come around and actually now decide that they're going to support Barack Obama. But they're coming around and fast now.

KIM LANDERS: What's making those people, like yourself who were once adamant Hillary Clinton supporters decide that they were going to back Barack Obama?

STEVE MADRU: I think it's the economy. It just entrenches people towards Obama because they know McCain is the same as George W. Bush.

KIM LANDERS: In an election year marked by Barack Obama's historic candidacy, a new opinion poll shows white Americans still harbour racial misgivings about African Americans.

Steve Madru concedes race is still a factor with some voters.

STEVE MADRU: There's not as many black people in a lot of the rural areas down here and so I think it's a little bit of a factor because it's somebody they don't know. But you know when they look at it as a pocketbook issue, I don't think black or white's going to mean anything. I think that once they figure this guy's got the right policies, that this is going to work, that he's the right person for the job, we'll be fine.

I don't think it's going to be that major of a factor here like it will be in some of the South.

KIM LANDERS: The Republican Party in Chillicothe has been given a jolt of enthusiasm by John McCain's decision to pick Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Republicans in this town boast that they're picking up support from women who once backed Hillary Clinton.

Steve Madru doesn't think it's a widespread trend.

STEVE MADRU: Everyone's had kind of a hard time with Hillary, they wanted Hillary so bad and then they wanted Obama to take Hillary as the Vice-Presidential nominee and it kind of upset them that he didn't choose Hillary but I think they're starting to come around and before they actually click that lever, they'll choose Barack Obama.